Zeb was taken immediately down to the TC Thompson's Children's Hospital NICU. (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) Zeb was able to breathe on his own and they wheeled him by the door of what had been my room so that Brandon and everyone waiting there could see him. He was so tiny. I was completely under anesthesia so they were closing me up and then wheeled me back to that room. I don't remember a whole lot of the rest of that day. I was on some pretty strong stuff. Bran went to see Zeb and took Grandparents and his aunts and uncle.
Zeb had a CPAP on for his first few days in NICU. It was out very quickly b/c he could breathe without its assistance. The second night he was in NICU, his lung collapsed and they had to enter a tube into his lung. This is not uncommon for preemies to do. He had the tube in only a few days. He still has a little scar from this. He had an IV for over a week. He began sucking a bottle earlier than they expected. Mom was providing him with plenty of breast milk to eat. He began growing fast. He did so very well.
Zeb had a few apnea spells and brady spells. (Periods of forgetting to breathe). They put him on caffeine. Gave him a little Dr. Pepper! J/K. But he was on caffeine and that stopped the spells. B/c preemies aren't supposed to have to breathe yet, they sometimes forget. Zeb was hooked to about 5 wires and the machines would alarm during these spells. He was always able to bring himself out.
God had truly blessed Zeb. He did so well at NICU. They had been telling us that all we were waiting on was for him to gain weight. Exactly one month from his birth, July 12, 2003, Zeb was allowed to go home. We were not expecting it. They had told us he would have to be 4lbs. But he was 3lbs 13 oz and had done so well that they let us take him home! We were so very excited! Nervous and Excited!
